Lorde leaves Apple Music in Israel following her ‘free f–king Palestine’ comment at a NYC concert

Lorde’s music has become unavailable on Apple Music in Israel following her rallying cry of “Free F Palestine” during a concert in New York City.

A viral clip captured the moment when the New Zealand-born artist performed her popular song “Team” at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. Just as she was about to launch into the chorus, she shouted, “Free F Palestine!”

The stage lighting shifted through red, green, white, and black colors, which symbolize the Palestinian flag.

As of Thursday, users in Israel found that they could no longer access Lorde’s songs on the Apple Music platform, according to reports from local sources.

However, her music remained accessible in the US as of Friday afternoon.

There are questions about whether Apple or some other entity orchestrated the removal of Lorde’s music in Israel and if this decision had backing from the company’s headquarters.

Lorde’s recent performance was part of a sold-out event at Madison Square Garden.

Additionally, it has been reported that she has signed the “No Music for Genocide” pledge, which asserts that various artists will restrict their music in Israel.

Interestingly, users of Spotify in Israel can still access Lorde’s songs.

Her recent concert was a highlight of her ongoing “Ultrasound World Tour,” promoting her most recent album, “Virgin.”

Lorde has faced scrutiny regarding the sensitive conflicts in the region. In fact, back in 2017, she canceled a scheduled concert in Tel Aviv after facing pressure from activists advocating for boycotts.

Supporters of the BDS movement are actively encouraging artists to participate in cultural boycotts against Israel, while Israeli supporters have called the BDS movement anti-Semitic, perceiving it as an unfair targeting of the Jewish state.

Despite these ongoing tensions, Apple has traditionally maintained a neutral stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, even amid calls from pro-Palestinian activists to sever ties with Israeli businesses.

Apple’s significant presence in Israel is noteworthy, given the country’s thriving tech sector and start-up ecosystem.

Other tech companies in Silicon Valley have also been embroiled in controversies over their connections with the Israeli military.

Recently, Microsoft found itself in hot water after pro-Palestinian activists organized a kayak protest near the homes of its top executives.

Similarly, Google employees demonstrated at a company event, criticizing the company’s involvement in Project Nimbus, a cloud project that supports the Israeli military.